I repair ceramic doumbeks on a regular basis, mostly replacing blown out drum heads. Over the years I've used a great variety of techniques for tensioning and attaching the skin onto the shell.

This is one technique.

This is another.

And yet another.

Nowadays, I tend to forego any type of rope system and use a press to tension and attach the skin onto a doumbek. With any rope system I've tried, there comes a point at which the skin will begin to tear where the rope passes through the skin. The skin can tear with the press as well, but not before I've pulled the skin tighter than with any rope system.

Here's one example of a skin mounted with a press.

I've used skirted skins as well - skins that have a skirt of fabric sewn onto them- and these can work well, but I've had them tear on me also.

Any drum makers out there with an opinion on the best way to mount a skin on a daruka?